Gunmen killed outside US anti-Islam exhibition

Gunmen+killed+outside+US+anti-Islam+exhibition

By Doha, Qatar, Al Jazeera

Two gunmen have reportedly been shot dead outside an anti-Islam art exhibition featuring depictions of the Prophet Muhammad in a city near Dallas, Texas, police say.

The shooting was reported shortly before 7 p.m. local time in the Texas city of Garland at the Curtis Culwell Centre. The city is reportedly in lockdown, following reports that another gunman was seen near a shopping centre.

A group called the American Freedom Defense Initiative had claimed they were exercising their right of free expression in running the Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest.

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The judging was supposed to be on Sunday, with the winning entry offered a $10,000 prize.

Critics of the competition have condemned it as an attack on Islam.

In two Twitter posts attributed to Garland police, a CBS affiliate first reported that two men had “pulled up to the Culwell Center” and “started shooting,” then reported the two suspects had been shot dead.

A security guard has reportedly been shot in the leg.

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